Fewer students will be admitted this year

About 47,000 persons will be admitted to universities and vocational schools this year, as against 49,000 in 2008. The decision was approved by the Government. Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc said that the lower number is due to the fact that fewer persons graduate from high schools and colleagues owing to the demographic situation in Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. Over 20,000 persons will be admitted to higher education establishments, 11,400 to specialized secondary schools, while 15,700 to vocational schools. About 28,000 students (64%) will receive awards from the state. Approximately 18,800 will study on contract. This year, priority will be given to engineering, agronomic, pedagogic and other specialties that are in demand on the labor market. Special attention will be paid to secondary vocational education, Stepaniuc said. “Several years ago, 6 in 10 students in Moldova studied in higher education institutions and only 4 in secondary vocational institutions. Now the situation is different. More persons go to vocational institutions and this trend will persist the next years,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. Under the Government’s decision, there will be admitted 750 persons from Moldova’s Transnistrian region. 560 out of these will get awards. Also, 235 foreigners will be admitted to education institutions and provided with scholarships under intergovernmental agreements, while 350 foreign students will join on contract.